Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resumption of attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, stating the US-brokered 'energy ceasefire' had failed. Russia reported fires at refineries in Ryazan and Saratov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that military strikes on Russian energy infrastructure would resume, declaring that the US-brokered "energy ceasefire" had failed. The decision follows continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian energy sites, which Kyiv said ignored the proposed truce.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelenskyy stated, "The block [on energy infrastructure attacks] is out. We're done." The announcement came after Russia reported Ukrainian attacks on oil processing plants in Ryazan, where a fire broke out, and in Saratov.
According to Russia's defence ministry, four missiles and dozens of drones were intercepted at the Ryazan site, with falling debris causing the fire. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Kyiv had also attempted to hit refineries on Wednesday, a claim Ukraine denied.
Zelenskyy had previously agreed to halt strikes for three days to give US President Donald Trump's "energy ceasefire" a chance for success. However, he accused Russia of ignoring the deal within hours, citing strikes that left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power. The Kremlin never confirmed it had agreed to the deal.
Zelenskyy accused the US of withdrawing intelligence-sharing to pressure Kyiv into ending attacks. He told the Financial Times that Ukrainian officials were warned by US counterparts: "if you will not stop [the strikes], we will block intelligence."
The Ukrainian president also addressed restrictions on SpaceX Starlink satellite access. While US officials suggested a technical glitch, Zelenskyy stated, "It was not a technical problem, it was will." SpaceX owner Elon Musk said the US owns and operates the Starshield military version of Starlink used by Ukraine, adding that he and his company had nothing to do with the issue.
Ukrainian defence sources later told the BBC that some functionality on Starlink services had resumed, specifically "operation while on the move" for the Starshield service. However, it remained unclear if restrictions on drone speeds had been fully lifted.
US President Donald Trump described Ukraine's renewed strikes as a "disgrace" in an interview with Newsmax. Trump asserted that Zelenskyy was "more difficult to deal with than Putin."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised "vigorous [US] efforts to initiate the peace process" and claimed Ukraine was "coming into serious conflict with the peace efforts of the United States and American negotiators."
European leaders expressed concern over the shift in US policy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the US agreement to purchase Russian diesel "a very risky decision," noting it could extend a lifeline to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told the BBC that restricting intelligence-sharing would be a "complete mistake," stating, "This means denying a country any chance of defending itself."
The resumption of strikes marks a significant escalation in the conflict, reversing a brief pause in attacks on energy infrastructure. The dispute highlights growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over intelligence sharing and satellite support, while European allies seek to maintain pressure on Moscow amidst shifting US diplomatic efforts.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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